The great looking, beautifully-made Kallisto Sport clothing has now arrived. All orders have been sorted and are ready to go. They can be picked up from 1935 Valley Oak Drive most evenings. Any not picked up by next Wednesday may be collected from Oak Bay Bikes. We have extra jerseys, bib shorts and jackets for sale as follows:

Jerseys ($45): 5 x XL, 5 x L, 4 x S, 2 x XS

Bib shorts ($55): 5 x XL, 6 x L, 4 x M, 3 x S, 2 x XS

Jackets ($85): 2 x XL, 3 x L, 1 x M, 2 x S

Get them NOW as the price will increase for the next order!

This is going to be a great event. Organizer, Peter McCaffery, was over on Gabriola Island Wednesday to ride and meet with a local cycling group, some of whom will be riding in the event and others who will be volunteering their time.

The Gabriola Sounder, local paper is publicising the stage race and alerting residents to the presence of "fast moving" cyclists on May 21st.

It also looks as though there may be a kids' race in the morning and a safety clinic at the local elementary school.

All signs indicate that this event will become an annual one on the BCMCA schedule and that all stages of next year's race will be held on Gabriola

MIVA is pleased to announce that the club is organizing three Sunday Criteriums for April 3rd., 10th. and 17th.

There will be three ability-based category races, and a short clinic for the beginning riders before the first race each Sunday.

The events will take place on the popular 1.1km Boxwood circuit in Nanaimo .

Registration opens at 12pm and first race is at 1pm. Entry fee for these events is $5 for members of MIVA (riders can join the club as full or associate members on the day) and $7 for non-members.

All riders must have either a UCI licence or a a citizens' licence issued by one of the provincial associations. Directions to the event:

From Island Highway, turn onto Northfield Road and turn right after 600 m. onto Boxwood Road ( just past Esso Station). Registration is in Purolator Parking Lot about 700m. from turn.

Overflow parking in La-Z-Boy parking lot or open area east of Purolator

MIVA's first event of the season is this Sunday's criterium on the Boxwood circuit in Nanaimo. In order to establish the high level of organization that the club will be known for, we need several volunteers to help with marshalling, registration, finish line and course set-up and take down. please contact organizer, Peter McCaffery at pakamac@gmail.com or 250 244 1597 if you are able to help.

My friend, Michael Barry, has been a professional cyclist for nearly fifteen years and is widely recognised as one of the "super domestiques" who do the grunt work to support their team leaders. For a taste of what it's like to lead the nomadic life of a pro in the peleton, go here.